Latest news with #Measles
Times of Oman
9 hours ago
- Health
- Times of Oman
"India's humanitarian support to the people of Syria continues": MEA on medical aid dispatch
New Delhi: India's humanitarian outreach to Syria continued with the delivery of a fresh consignment of critical medical aid, the Ministry of External Affairs said. In a 'X' post on Tuesday, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "India's humanitarian support to the people of Syria continues." He informed that India had "handed over a consignment of 5 MT of essential life-saving medicines, including anti-cancer, antibiotics and anti-hypertensives to Syria." The gesture is part of India's ongoing efforts to provide relief and medical assistance to conflict-affected regions and underscores New Delhi's commitment to extend support during humanitarian crises. India's continued commitment to global health support was also demonstrated on July 17, when it sent 300,000 doses of Measles and Rubella vaccines, along with other medical supplies, to Bolivia in response to a worsening outbreak in the country. "India dispatched a consignment of 300,000 doses of Measles & Rubella vaccines along with ancillary supplies to support Bolivia in managing the outbreak of the disease. India stands by its friends in the Global South," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X. The shipment arrives at a crucial time as Bolivia has declared a National Health Emergency due to a resurgence of measles cases in several areas. So far, 60 confirmed cases have been reported, according to Xinhua. "After urgently convening the National Strategic Council for Health Emergencies, in response to the measles epidemic that the country is experiencing and the high risk of the disease spreading, we have decided to declare a National Health Emergency with the firm intention of protecting the health and lives of the Bolivian people," Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora announced on social media, as quoted by Xinhua. The emergency move aims to stop the virus from spreading through mass vaccination efforts and a coordinated response involving local governments, regional bodies, and international organisations.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Health secretary tells officials to step up surveillance to contain measles spread
Nashik: State health secretary Dr Nipun Vinayak on Tuesday told civil surgeons and district health officials from Jalgaon, Dhule and Nandurbar to step up surveillance for measles symptoms and enforce isolation measures following an outbreak at a govt-aided ashramshala. Thirty-seven ashramshala students were admitted to Government Medical College and Hospital in Jalgaon with measles-like symptoms. Of them, four have tested positive for the infection so far. Officials who attended the meeting said Dr Vinayak told them to track all students and implement home isolation and treatment as needed, particularly in the villages where the students resided. "The health secretary reviewed the reports by district health departments and told officials to intensify the surveillance in talukas and villages where the students resided and would return to after Jalgaon collector declared a measles outbreak. Their vaccination reports are to be examined too," Jalgaon district health officer Dr Sachin Bhayekar said. The officer said standard measles vaccination guidelines typically targeted children up to five years old. "Given the age range of the affected students (6-15 years), govt will determine a separate vaccination plan for them," he said. Dhule district health officer Dr Sachin Bodke said the ashramshala students hailed only from Shirpur taluka, and the teams reached the homes of more than 50 of the 89 students. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "On Monday, one student with measles-like symptoms was admitted to GMCH, Dhule, while three others were admitted to the sub-district hospital. All are stable and recuperating. Besides, the students who have reached their homes are being monitored. We are taking help of religious leaders, community leaders and sarpanch to carry out the vaccination of the children below 5 years of age and who might have missed any of the two doses," Dr Bodke said. The major issue faced by health officials is about the migratory population in the remote villages of the taluka, who cross over to Madhya Pradesh and other districts in search of employment. Dr Ravindra Jadhav, Nandurbar district health officer, said, "The students were yet to reach homes from Jalgaon. All the students who come home will be screened for health conditions at primary health centres, after which those exhibiting symptoms will be treated. The rest of the students will be kept under isolation at their homes." Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that causes a rash and flu-like symptoms. It's spread through respiratory droplets and can be serious, even deadly, especially for young children and those with weakened immune systems.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Measles cases in US over 4.5 times higher than all of last year
Measles cases in the United States are continuing to rise after breaking a decades-long record just two weeks ago. There are now 1,319 confirmed measles cases across 39 states, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated Wednesday. This is the highest nationwide measles figure seen since 1992. National cases are more than 4.5 times higher than the entirety of last year, which had an estimated 285 cases reported. MORE: Amid growing Texas outbreak, how contagious is measles? So far, two children and one adult have died from the virus this year, the first deaths from measles in a decade. About one to three of every 1,000 children infected with measles die from respiratory and neurologic complications, according to the CDC. An overwhelming majority of this year's cases -- 92% -- are among those who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown, CDC data shows. Measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000 due to a highly effective vaccination program, according to the CDC Childhood vaccination rates to protect against measles have been declining in recent years, CDC data shows. The rate of kindergarteners receiving state-required vaccinations dropped from 95% in the 2019-2020 school year to less than 93% in the 2023-2024 school year, according to CDC data. A 95% threshold is the ideal level to protect for herd immunity, public health experts note. This leaves about 280,000 U.S. kindergarteners, or 7.3%, without protection from the virus. MORE: Amid growing Texas outbreak, how contagious is measles? A measles vaccine became available in 1963. Prior to that, nearly all children got measles by the time they were 15 years old. It led to an estimated 500 deaths and 48,000 hospitalizations each year before the shot was widely available, according to the CDC. Children in the U.S. are recommended to receive the two-dose measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine with the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective, the CDC says. A booster shot is not typically recommended for adults who already have immunity from the virus through vaccination or prior infection. Solve the daily Crossword
CTV News
22-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
What you need to know about West Nile, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and the measles
Video Infectious diseases expert Dr. Isaac Bogoch on what you need to know about West Nile, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and the Measles.
France 24
21-07-2025
- Health
- France 24
UK battles anti-vax misinformation after child's death
Measles is a highly infectious disease that can cause serious complications. It is preventable through double MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) jabs in early childhood. Health Secretary Wes Streeting on July 14 confirmed to parliament that a child had died in the UK of measles. No details have been released, but The Sunday Times and Liverpool Echo newspapers reported the child had been severely ill with measles and other serious health problems in Alder Hey hospital in the northwestern city. Anti-vaxxers quickly posted unconfirmed claims about the death on social media. One British influencer, Ellie Grey, who has more than 200,000 followers on Instagram, posted a video denying the child died from measles. "Measles isn't this deadly disease... it's not dangerous," she said. Grey criticised Alder Hey for posting a video "really, really pushing and manipulating parents into getting the MMR vaccine". Her video was reposted by another British influencer, Kate Shemirani, a struck-off ex-nurse who posts health conspiracy theories. "No vaccine has ever been proven safe and no vaccine has ever been proven effective," Shemirani claimed falsely. Liverpool's public health chief Matthew Ashton attacked those "spreading misinformation and disinformation about childhood immunisations" in the Echo newspaper, saying "they need to take a very long, hard look at themselves." "For those of you that don't know, measles is a really nasty virus," he said in a video, adding that the jab is a way of "protecting yourself and your loved ones". Alder Hey said it has treated 17 children with measles since June. It posted a video in which a paediatric infectious diseases consultant, Andrew McArdle, addresses measles "myths", including that the MMR jab causes autism. This false claim comes from a debunked 1998 study by a British doctor, Andrew Wakefield, who was later struck off. But it sparked an international slump in vaccinations. 'Lingering questions' Benjamin Kasstan-Dabush, a medical anthropologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told AFP there are still "lingering questions around the Wakefield era". He talked to parents who had delayed vaccinating their children, finding reasons included life events and difficulty getting health appointments, but also misinformation. "We're obviously talking about a different generation of parents, who might be engaging with that Wakefield legacy through social media, through the internet, and of course through Kennedy," he said. US President Donald Trump appointed Robert F. Kennedy Jr as health secretary despite his promotion of anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. Kennedy fired all 17 experts on a key vaccine advisory panel and appointed a scientist who warned against Covid jabs. In the United States, "misinformation is being produced in the highest echelons of the Trump administration", which "circulates across the internet", Kasstan-Dabush said. In a sign of how narratives spread, a Telegram group airing conspiracies called Liverpool TPR, which has around 2,000 members, regularly posts links to anti-vaccine group Children's Health Defense once chaired by Kennedy. In the past few weeks the UK Health Security Agency has amplified its social media coverage on vaccinations, a spokesman said. In a video in response to the reported death, Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist, explained the MMR jab protects others, including those "receiving treatment like chemotherapy that can weaken or wipe out their immunity". Take-up of the MMR jab needs to be 95 percent for herd immunity, according to the World Health Organisation. The UK has never hit this target. In Liverpool, uptake for both doses is only around 74 percent and below 50 percent in some areas, according to Ashton, while the UK rate is 84 percent. After Wakefield's autism claims, confirmed measles cases topped 2,000 in England and Wales in 2012 before dropping. But last year, cases soared again. The same trend is happening in other countries. Europe last year reported the highest number of cases in over 25 years; the United States has recorded its worst measles epidemic in over 30 years. Canada, which officially eradicated measles in 1998, has registered more than 3,500 cases this year. © 2025 AFP
